


Stormy Night

by AmberTrash



Category: Dangan Ronpa - All Media Types, Super Dangan Ronpa 2
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, I wrote this a while ago, M/M, Nagito is afraid of thunder, Thunderstorms, beginning of the game spoilers, mentions of self harm, so im probbaly missing some tags
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-12
Updated: 2021-01-12
Packaged: 2021-03-16 23:15:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,758
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28714875
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmberTrash/pseuds/AmberTrash
Summary: Hajime has to babysit Nagito during a storm, which neither of them is very happy about.
Relationships: Hinata Hajime/Komaeda Nagito
Comments: 4
Kudos: 123





	Stormy Night

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this a WHILE ago ;u;  
> probably a lot of errors but I need to post something that isn't more SMT
> 
> I also have some DR2 merch on my storenvy!  
> https://www.storenvy.com/stores/837633-artistsquared

"Gooooood morning, everyone! Looks like today is gonna be another perfect, tropical day! Now then, let's show some enthusiasm and make sure to give it our all today!" 

Hajime kept his eyes closed in a futile attempt to control just one thing in his life. He had been terribly out of control for what felt like an eternity. Nighttime hadn't exactly brought restful sleep either. Even though he was utterly exhausted from the class trial, he couldn't calm the ocean of thoughts that kept him awake. Byakuya, who had wanted to keep everyone safe. Teruteru who was desperate to see his mother. And then that guy.... Hajime pressed his palms into his eyes until he saw sparks. Why was he still thinking about that guy? It had been a few days since the trail and things had gone fairly normally. Lots of free time, and no motive pushed at them for another murder. Everyone had even seemed to be getting along well with the exception of Fuyuhiko. Hajime figured it had to be at least a week since they got to the island. At least a week since he met Nagito. A week since he hadn't stopped thinking about him.

“Why is it that I can't seem to forget that guy...” He sighed. If he was going to think about Nagito, then he would simply think bad thoughts. That's how it works right? Hajime thought about all of the crazy speeches the while haired boy cooed during the trail. He thought about how his voice was still light and pleasant. He thought about all of the nice things that the stranger had said when everyone else was looking down on him for fainting.

“Crap! That's definitely not it!” palms pressed tighter against eyes.

Okay fine. He would think about the crazy look in Nagito's eyes. His kind, light green eyes and thick eyelashes-

Hajime sat straight up in bed, anger rolling off him like steam. “He's crazy right? But...he was so nice when we first got here. Damnit. How am I supposed to know what to think about him?” Rubbing the soreness out of his eyes, Hajime threw his legs over the side of the cabana bed. If he couldn't stop thinking about Nagito, he'd just distract himself with conversation and go to breakfast. However, an unexpected cold shot through him. The wooden floor of the tropical cabin was oddly cold. Blinking a few more times, just in case his eye were still reeling from the earlier expression of frustration, Hajime looked out the window. It was decidedly not a 'perfect, tropical day'.

“Those greetings...must be pre recorded.”

The azure sky was now a muted, dusty color with a menacing gloom hanging far out above the ocean. The waves themselves didn't seem too evil. They made a smooth mirror surface that seemed to radiate a chill that didn't belong anywhere near the island. A low rumble pushed an oppressive air toward the island and through even the protection of the cabin. It almost looked like the sudden storm that blew in when Monokuma showed up.

A sudden knock at the door startled Hajime away from the window. He reached for the door but then thought better and pressed his ear against the wood.

“Hello?”

The knocker remained silent for a beat and then snorted, as if just waking up.

“Oh. It's Chiaki. Mikan and I are making sure people eat before the storm hits.”

So there really was a storm coming. Hajime opened the door. “Ah, thanks, Chiaki.”

The gamer girl yawned. “No problem. I'll be in the hotel lobby then. I wonder if the power will go out?” She stared into space briefly before heading toward the hotel.

Hajime quickly stepped out to follow her. “Hey! It's kind of weird, don't you think? The weather suddenly going bad like this?”

Chiaki hummed and pressed a finger to her chin. “Hm, I don't think so. Tropical storms are pretty common.”

“I just hope that we're all safe, you know?” The air by the pool felt sticky and humid. Rain was surely close by.

“Of course you'll all be safe!” A cheerful voice popped-up between the students, along with the speaker, a pink and white rabbit doll.

Chiaki cocked her head. “Oh Monomi.” She said somewhat flatly.

The rabbit held up a paw in what appeared to be a triumphant pose. “No need to worry about a lil' 'ol rain! All structures on the island are designed to withstand hurricane force winds. And if there is a storm alert, then all students will be required to seek shelter!”

“Anyone caught outside during that time will be punished!!” Another voice chirped, but it seemed far less cheerful. Monokuma popped up behind Monomi. “We wouldn't want anyone to accidentally die from exposure! That wouldn't be very fun at all!”

Monomi smiled. “Oh? You care about their safety? How lovely!”

“No you idiot!” The black and white bear's fangs grimaced. “They can die of exposure so long as it's interesting! Say, as the result of someone tying them up in a drafty old building!”

As if on cue, a bolt of lightning split the sky.

“Oh no! That's too cruel!” Monomi began to cry.

“Wait, hold on a second!” Hajime felt himself go pale. Was he sweating or was that the strangely cold humidity of the storm? “Are you talking about Nagito?”

Chiaki gripped her backpack straps. “I see. So if we just leave him there, Kazuichi and Nekomaru may become the next killers without meaning to.”

“It won't make for a very exciting trail though,” Monokuma sighed.

Monomi stopped crying. “Is that why you warned them?”

In an absurd display of power, Monokuma struck the rabbit doll with such force that she flew out of sight. The bear addressed her question despite this. “Of course not! I made this storm in the first place! I just want things to stay exciting!”

“You made the storm?!” Hajime gasped. The wind around began to pick up. Chiaki glanced around.

“Huh? Did I say that? Whoops!” Monokuma shrugged and slipped behind a potted plant, disappearing.

Mikan jogged up to the pair, desperately trying to hold down her skirt in the breeze. Her long hair whipped around her crying face.

Hajime held up a hand to signal her to slow down. “Mikan! Is everyone at the restaurant?”

“S-sorry! No one answered their doors s-so I think so? O-or they're just ignoring me.”

“I'll go ahead then.” Chiaki nodded. “I'll ask what everyone wants to do about Nagito.”

Wishing he had been the one to speak first, Hajime nodded and reluctantly waited for Mikan to stumble over in the turbulent weather. It quickly became apparent why as Mikan's hair blew in front of her eyes. As the nurse swiped away the strands, her wrists became tangled, so when the wind tugged at her skirt she was unable to do anything. Whether he wanted it or not, Hajime saw Mikan's underwear...again.

“Kyaa!! Oh no! I-I'm so sorry!!!!” She wailed. A small part of Hajime wondered if she was doing it on purpose or if the ultimate nurse was really just that pitiful.

Casting his eyes to the gathering clouds, Hajime helped Mikan get into the restaurant without further incidents. Once inside they hurried upstairs looking rather windswept. Mikan whispered a string of apologies like it was a prayer.

“Ohoho, and why are you two so late?” Kazuichi smirked and wagged an eyebrow.

“I told you all she was a fat slut. What a stupid whore!”

“Hiyoko that's n-not it at all! Wahh!” Mikan went and sulked in a corner while making a futile attempt to detangle her hair.

Ibuki jumped from her seat. “Leave 'em alone! It's bad enough what poor Hajime has to do!”

A bad feeling began to settle. Something even more ominous than the storm. “What do I have to do?” The brunette gulped.

“Aw, you know! Don't make me say it!” Ibuki threw an arm around his shoulders.

From the window, Peko clicked her tongue. “You don't have to dump it on him.”

Hajime slowly looked around, all eyes on him, even Fuyuhiko who probably figured he should eat before the storm set in. All eyes except for one person.

“You want me to look after Nagito,” Hajime groaned.

The silver-haired girl sighed and shook her head in disappointment while Ibuki cheered.

“Yay! You volunteered so you can do it!” Ibuki slapped Hajime on the back. “Have fun~!”

Kazuichi shivered. “There is nothing fun about that guy!” He quickly changed his tone however once Sonia brought out a tray of food for their 'prisoner'. “Of course that doesn't mean he should starve! Miss Sonia is so nice for thinking of a guy like that. We truly don't deserve her!”

“Then why can't she bring the food to him?” Hajime pleaded, but it either went unnoticed or ignored.

And with that it was settled. As the wind picked up and rain began to fall, the students filed out of the hotel and headed either to their cabins or to get supplies from the supermarket. Only Chiaki hesitated under the hotel entrance with Hajime. The gamer girl wore a determined look.

Shielding the small amount of food on the plate with a hand (more toast, an egg, milk, and some jam), Hajime tried his best to force a smile. “Hey, don't worry about it. I'm sure the storm will pass by fine.”

Chiaki blinked slowly. “Oh? Oh, no. I'm not worried about the storm.”

“O-oh?”

“Yeah, I just hope that the power doesn't go out.” She turned and headed back inside for the arcade game.

Hajime let out a breath he hadn't realized he was hiding. She wasn't worried about him, just her video games. He silently hoped the power wouldn't go out too. Everyone already knew what sort of things happened when the power went out around Nagito. Well, it was now or never. Since he had been charged with taking care of Nagito, skipping out would mean he was a murderer if that guy died. Without a choice, Hajime dashed through the rain and into the old building.

The musty air in the old wood building was only intensified by the rain. Rain drops pelted the roof making a somewhat soothing sound that completely contrasted with the gloomy feeling within. Intermittent gusts whistled through the gaps in the floor and brought in a dampness. Hajime silently thanked Nagito's luck; if nothing else, it gave him the forethought to put a carpet down. Had they been under different circumstances, it may have been a nice atmosphere. A dark and quiet place during a storm. Instead he was going to feed a stranger in the middle of what might be a hurricane on a deserted island that was created for them to kill each other on. Only a little different from that, right?. As Hajime begrudgingly made his way to the dining hall, a flash of lightning lit up the cracks between the floorboards. He shot a nervous glance over to the office while the rumble of thunder groaned overhead. A whispered plea for the breaker not to trip slipped out before he could stop himself.

“Get it together, Hajime...” He sighed and gripped the tray tighter. He pushed open the door and hoped for the storm to pass quickly.

Nagito is not in the hall though. Hajime nearly drops the tray of food and barely manages to place it on the center table before dropping to the matted carpet. It's not as if the lights are out right? He should be here. Hajime still gropes around the floor as if Nagito was just invisible. Another strobe of lightning reveals him though, but not in the way Hajime expected. Almost in time with the clap of thunder, a small squeak came from under the front table. The brunette sat back on his knees and stared at the slightly moving table cloth.

“N-Nagito...?”

There was a pause, rain sounding like radio static.

“...Yes?”

“Are you under the table?”

“Yes.”

“Okay. Why?”

Nagito's white hair obscured his face as he poked his head out. “It's so nice to have an ultimate care about someone like me. I just wish it was for a better reason.” Even under his messy bangs, a faint blush was visible.

“Nagito, are you afraid of storms?”

Now he emerged from under the table fully. “Well lots of people are afraid of things right? And while it is kind of childish to be afraid of storms, and I'm sure it's nowhere near as close to the fears of ultimates, it's something I haven't been able to get rid of.” He bowed his head and looked almost sheepish.

There was something about that confession that almost reminded Hajime of the Nagito he first met on the beach. It almost made him seem more human. No, that's not right. He was human, just a little different. Hajime was still trying to decide if that difference was good or not when another round of lightning boomed. It seemed closer now and with it came wilder winds. Hajime glanced and the sturdy metal covering the windows. Luckily that would provide more than enough protection. When he looked back Nagito had ducked under the table again. It would have been comical if it hadn't been so morbidly ironic.

“I brought you some food,” Hajime said, at a loss for words. “Sonia added a hard boiled egg and a second bottle of milk too in case this storm stops us from bringing you anything else today.”

“Wait!” The white hair popped out again. “You're leaving?!”

Hajime sat up to grab the tray off of the table. “Yeah. I can't stay here all day.”

The prisoner scrambled out from underneath the table and bowed his head to the floor. “Please stay with me!!”

“g-get up.” Hajime frowned and looked away from the pitiful scene. Another flash and bang. Nagito bolted straight up, going rigid.

“P-please! It's getting worse out! A-and there isn't anything else for you to do besides sit in your cabin in this weather. So please stay here with me.”

Something in those gray-green eyes made Hajime nod in agreement. A part of him still thought it was a bad idea though.

Nagito sighed happily. He came out from under the table and rested against one of the legs. Hajime could see the other boy visible tense with every wave of lightning. He looked tired, not that prisoners ever looked good, but the deathlike pallor of his face was more noticeable than usual. There were gray circles beginning to form under his eyes as well from lack of sleep. The carpet kept the dampness out but it wasn't comfortable by any definition. Nagito opened an eye and caught Hajime staring. The smaller male quickly passed his forced roommate the tray of food.

“Here's your food,” He said more flatly than he had intended to.

“Thanks.” Nagito said, staring at the tray. He blinked a few times. “Thanks for staying too. I know you don't really want to be here. I don't blame you though.”

Hajime held up a hand. “Hey, stop with the self-deprecation. You're starting to sound like Mikan.” He smiled a bit. Why was he even trying to make this guy feel better?

Nagito returned the smile. “I'd apologize, but then I might actually turn into Mikan.” He laughed and unlike the sadistic chirp he gave during the trial, it sounded more like a bell. It was a light and genuine laugh. Now his smile turned wistful, bitter sweet. “I shouldn't make fun of her. I really am amazed by all of you, you know?”

“I know, but that doesn't mean that you should value yourself any less.” Hajime sighed.

Even the metal plates on the windows seemed to groan at the cheesy line he threw out. Hajime felt his cheeks grow hot as Nagito stared at him, wide-eyed. He wanted to fall through the cracks between the wooden floor but he was pretty sure that the mud beneath was slowly turning into a miniature river.

“Look, just eat your food okay? I'm not going to become the next person on trial just because you starved to death!” Hajime extended his arms to shove the tray at his captive.

“Ah. About that,” Nagito started. “I hate to ask for another favor, since you already agreed to stay with me, but, um.” He rattled the chains behind him. “Could you...?”

Hajime looked down at the tray on his lap. Oh yeah. He had brought Nagito food before so he didn't know how he could have forgotten an important detail like this. In fairness though, Hajime was fairly certain he had run away before actually feeding him. And he was not about to untie him. He looked back up.

“Yeah, sure.”

“Wonderful!” Nagito smiled, trying to sound more confident than he was. He had never been fed by anyone like this before, not even by a family member. Now here was the strange boy who not only agreed to sit out the storm with him but also feed him? He truly was the ultimate lucky student.

Forcing through hesitation, Hajime picked up a piece of toast and raised it to Nagito's mouth. A slow burn spread across the amnesiac's cheeks but the awkwardness was quickly snuffed when a bolt of lightning shook the entire old building as Nagito bit the toast, causing him to nearly choke. He sputtered and fell back, instinctively trying to get under the table but hitting his head on the clothed table leg instead. Hajime placed the tray aside and stood quickly. He dashed from the dining hall and checked the building. If it had struck the building, then nothing caught fire, thankfully. He relaxed a bit and headed back to the dining hall where Nagito was now coughing very hard while curled up on the floor.

“You know,” he cleared his throat, “If I choke on food you gave me, that means you're a killer.” He wheezed.

“I don't think that's true.” Hajime said, helping the other boy sit back up.

Nagito shrugged. “I'm not sure. But do you want to risk it?”  
Fine. Two could play at this game.

“Well, I'm not the one who practically jumped out of their skin because of a little lightning.”

Nagito's soft expression turned hard. Whoops. Too far. Hajime would think about it later, but he could have sworn there were tears forming in Nagito's eyes before he turned away.

“H-hey,” Hajime started, “I didn't mean that. I was just joking.” He pulled the top off one of the milk containers and helped Nagito sip it. “Did your mom or anyone ever teach you a trick to get through a storm?”

Now Nagito really looked like a tired husk of the person he met on the beach. His eyes seemed to stare through the carpeted floor. For a second, it looked like he might respond but instead he zipped up his sweatshirt and brought his knees closer. The dining hall suddenly felt very claustrophobic. Hajime thumbed at the label on the milk bottle, anxiously waiting for Nagito to say something.

Hajime rubbed the back of his neck. “Hey, I didn’t mean…”

“No. It’s alright,” Nagito shrugged, seeming to regain his composure. “I just don’t want to bore you with stories about someone like me.” 

“Yeah…” Hajime didn’t know what else to say. He was suddenly too tired to argue with Nagito. If he wanted to put himself down it was fine. Well, not fine, but he had to pick his battles. Outside the storm continued to rage.

The pair finished breakfast in silence. Almost as soon as the glass milk bottle was empty it was repurposed to contain a small leak in the back corner. It was quickly joined by some pots from the kitchen. The musty earth smell became stronger. At one point Hajime was even sure he felt the building move a bit in the mud below. He would definitely get the others back for this. 

“This is getting dismal.” Nagito said, laying back on the carpet.

“It almost makes me want to…”Hajime began. Unchain him? 

“Unchain me?” Hajime shot him a bewildered glance. “Lucky guess, heh. Why not? I wouldn’t dream of going out in a storm like this. And I’ll even let you chain me back up when it’s passed!”

There was absolutely no way that would end well. Nagito inched forward, laying his head on Hajime’s knee. The brunette shifted awkwardly, but the other young man kept his eyes closed. He almost looked peaceful. It would have been an impressive display of playing innocent had another bolt not shattered the atmosphere. Even Hajime jumped as the crack rang out, light nearly visible behind the steeled windows. Without thinking, he grabbed onto Nagito who with the same disregard, shoved his head into Hajime’s chest. He could feel the other boy tremble a bit, breath quaking. Nagito whispered an apology that was barely audible above the pounding rain. If they weren’t on a tropical island, it could have easily been mistaken for hail. 

Hajime lightly rested his hands on Nagito’s shoulders. He didn’t exactly want to shove him off but he would be lying if he said he wasn’t a little uncomfortable like this. Afterall, he had been trying hard not to think about these sorts of things and about Nagito. About how slight he felt beneath his olive green hoodie. About how nice he smelled despite being locked up for a day and a half. About how they were stuck on an island and being told to kill each other, which Nagito had tried to do!

“Ah, Nagito, please get off,” Hajime swallowed hard. Despite his lapse in memory, he could remember a good chunk of his past. He had had a crush on a bully in school, that much he could recall. He tried to tell himself that this wasn’t like that. He couldn’t be that depraved….right?

“Sorry, I just had to catch my breath.” Nagito pulled back, looking pale.

After seeing Nagito cower at a lightning strike so close it shook the entire foundation of the building, Hajime reluctantly undid the ropes and chains binding Nagito. He was actually a little impressed that those guys had managed to get it so secure without a lock. Hopefully he’d be able to do the same later.  
Nagito rubbed at the red marks on his wrists. “Thanks! I really am the Ultimate Lucky Student, having you to keep me company.” He was beginning to perk up a bit, having another person around.

Something about that made Hajime’s chest tighten. Probably just from the damp air. Hard to breathe in all the dust.

“Yeah well, you won’t be very lucky if you try to escape.” 

Nagito smiled. There was something kind of cute about Hajime trying to be tough. Especially since a few days ago he saw him completely lose composure and all but pass out on the beach. 

“Maybe you’re right. It is better than being alone though. I’m sure everyone else is bored. Though, probably not. I bet they’re taking this time to hone their ultimate skills.”

“Somehow, I doubt that.” 

The former prisoner stood and stretched his arms. With slightly stiff steps, Nagito begam to make his way to the door. 

“Hey!” Hajime grabbed the sleeve of Nagito’s jacket. “What are you doing?”

“Oh, I was going to go to the bathroom. Is that a problem?”

Hajime let go reluctantly. He couldn’t let Nagito wander around alone but the alternative…

The thought passed Nagito’s mind as well. “You don’t have to come in with me you know. You can wait outside the door. Besides, ah…” Nagito blinked a few times, his long eyelashes fluttering in an uncharacteristically shy way. “With my hands tied I wasn’t really able to, well, you know.” He was hoping the other boy would pick up on his meaning, but was forced to continue. “Nekomaru tried to rig up a way for me to go to the bathroom but in the end they couldn’t figure anything out. I’d like to make use of the washer in the storage closet.”

The white haired boy flushed, embarrassed. Hajime on the other hand was pretty excited to finally have the upper hand in a conversation. Sparing him any further humility, Hajime nodded and accompanied him to the restroom and afterwards the storage closet. In only his plaid boxers, Nagito was beginning to feel the chill of the storm. It wasn’t exactly freezing but definitely cooler than the normal tropical climate. Hajime however, felt himself grow hot. He looked at the gaps in the floor. He looked at the wooden walls. He looked at that damn fire door. He tried to look anywhere except for Nagito’s legs. Of course he had seen other guys change before, that wasn’t anything new. But somehow, in this situation, it felt weirdly intimate. 

Then, as Nagito turned to return to the dining room, the heat left Hajime’s face. Resting just under the length of his boxers and above his knees, there were pale faded lines. Scars. It almost felt like looking at another corpse, though somehow sadder. Maybe there was a bigger reason Nagito kept putting himself down.

Nagito however, didn’t seem bothered in the slightest and struck a pose, swaying his hips slightly.

“Like what you see?”

“W-what!?” Hajime stammered and instinctively took a step back. He prayed for lightning to strike and disrupt them but only the wind responded outside.

Nagito laughed. “I’m only teasing you. Geeze, as if you’d be interested in someone like me. That’s actually pretty funny.” 

“What!” Now he felt an obligation to stop Nagito from putting himself down. “You’re very interesting! Don’t say things like that!”

“You think I’m interesting?” Nagito tried hard to keep his tone sarcastic. Had they known each other better, Hajime might have noticed the sincere undertone in his question. 

After what seemed like an eternity of syllables and gasps that didn’t make any sense, the brunette managed to respond in a reasonably calm manner. He took a deep breath. “You’re messing with me. It’s fine. Look, can we just try to wait out the storm in peace?” He took a cautious glance at the scars again before heading to the dining hall.

“Oh wait!” Nagito padded over. He stumbled a bit and ended up hopping in front of Hajime on one foot. “Tsk, spinter.” Nagito picked at the sole of his foot, bracing himself on Hajime’s shoulder so he couldn’t leave. 

“Why did you take your socks off too?”

“Got it!” Nagito happily exclaimed. “Hn? I figured I might as well as long as I was doing laundry. I know the storm seems bad now but it’ll probably be over by tomorrow morning. After that, who knows how long I’ll be locked in here before I can wash again.”

If Nagito was trying to make Hajime guilty, it was working. Not tying him up again was out of the question. That didn’t mean he had to keep him prisoner during the storm though. 

“Why did you tell me to ‘wait’?” Hajime sighed.

“When I was cleaning this place up I saw a deck of cards in the office desk. We can grab it so we have something to do.”

“Yeah right, like I’m going to play cards with the Ultimate Lucky Student! I may as well take my chances with Chiaki!” 

The pair chuckled and though it wasn’t a genuine laugh, neither of them had felt so close to being happy in a while. In the end, the deck of cards was retrieved and brought back to the dining hall. Though the floor of the office was better insulated, the roof had a bigger leak than any other room in the old building. As expected, Nagito won a majority of the games. He admittedly tried to throw a few of the games but his luck wouldn’t let him lose. In the end he let Hajime handle shuffling and dealing, which seemed to work for at least the first few rounds. 

“Hey,” Nagito said between hands, “Do you mind if I tell you something?”

Hajime narrowed his eyes. He has two kings and a three of clubs, completely useless in their current game. “If it’s about your cards, I don’t want to hear it.”

Nagito laughed lightly. “No, no. Actually I shouldn’t even say it. Forget I brought it up.”

“What is it?” Hajime glanced at the scars again. “You may as well just tell me.”

“Well I apologize in advance anyways. You see, my luck isn’t really all that great. I’m, well, you could say that I’m ‘sick.”

“Sick?”

“Yeah. I won’t bore you with the details but, I felt like I should tell someone. Actually,” Nagito paused. He seemed to be talking to himself more than Hajime now. “I felt like I had to tell you.” That was a strange feeling. He could see the equally bewildered look on Hajime’s face. Time for a quick recovery. “It’ll actually make it easier if you want to use me in a killing.”

So that was his game. Hajime glared. “Stop saying things like that. I‘m not killing anyone and no one else is going to die. Not if I can help it.”

Nagito grinned. “I’m glad to hear that.”

The rain had begun to slow down enough outside that they heard the buzz of the dryer in the annex. Both boys laid their cards down and stood. Nagito stretched, savoring the freedom to move his arms.

“By the way, that wasn’t what I had wanted to tell you.”

“So it was a lie?”

They made their way through the hall. It was starting to get humid again and the floorboards began to creak in the changing air pressure. 

“Not a lie,” Nagito smiled, “but not as personal as what I wanted to say.” He pulled his jeans from the dryer and pulled them on. “I’m gay.”

Hajime blushed fiercely. “W-why are you bringing that up? This isn’t a lover’s retreat or anything!”

The white-haired boy grinned. Despite the usual gloomy vibe that he gave off, it was almost reassuring. The closest thing to a kind smile he could muster. “I brought it up because you are too.”

“Yeah, but what does that have to do with it?!” Hajime squeaked.

“Nothing.” Nagito turned on his heel and headed back into the hall. “I just wanted to confirm that you are too. The only way to do that was to tell you that I am too.” 

He looked over his shoulder. “That’s not a lie either by the way.”

Hajime followed the prisoner back to the dining hall in silence. He was a lamb going to slaughter. Each step he would have rather taken towards the exit. Instead they ended up back where they started. Nagito sat down on the floor and slipped his shows back on. Every second that passed he wanted, no, hoped, that Hajime would say something. Anything. When was the last time he had craved affection like this? He lightly touched the jean above his scars. Before the other boy could notice though, he placed his hands behind his back.

“Well, I guess it's time.”

Outside a few birds tweeted, taking advantage of the bugs in the wet soil. The storm had passed almost as suddenly as it had begun. Hajime swallowed hard and nodded. Even if it was for the best, he still felt weird about tying someone up. He rounded the table and grabbed the chain. 

“Yeah. Listen, I’ll be honest. I didn’t entirely hate spending time with you today. But you have to stop begging people to kill you to prove… something.Whatever you think it’s going to prove.” Hajime pulled the chain tight, making Nagito flinch. “Maybe they’ll trust you again.”

“Do you trust me?”

Chains secured, Hajime picked up the length of rope beside him. Once that was tied, he was free to leave his prisoner. His hands paused.

“I’m not sure.” He continued to secure Nagito.

“That’s too bad.” Nagito sighed. He looked at his lap and grimaced but for a moment. That cut more than it should have. More than the chains. Hajime was clearly not as savvy as Kazuichi when it came to knot tying though. He could tell right away that it was looser but after that response, he wasn’t going to tell his captor. 

Hajime sat back on his heels and sighed, overcome with exhaustion. The day almost felt wasted. Nagito shuffled around to face him. “Going to go?”

“Yeah. The storms over.” Hajime said flatly. He leaned forward to stand, placing his hands on the carpet to boost himself up when lightning struck again.

It wasn’t lightning from the storm though. Nagito slid his hand over Hajime’s as he leaned in and kissed the corner of his mouth. It was the safest option. On the cheek wouldn’t carry the same weight and fully on the mouth would have been too oppressive. Until he was actually doing it, Nagito hadn’t realized how much thought he had put into it.

After a beat, Hajime pulled back. He looked nearly the same color as the hibiscus flowers that dotted the island. Gasping like a fish out of water, he scrambled away. 

“I-! You-! Listen! Do not do that again without my permission!”

“So I can kiss you with your permission?” Nagito asked playfully. 

In an attempt to preserve what little composure he had left, Hajime flew out of the dining hall and escaped the old building. The wooden stairs were thoroughly soaked and puddles had formed around the overflowing pool. Hajime was vaguely aware of his sneakers sliking on the wet concrete as he sprinted back to his cabin. It wasn’t until he was back in his cabin with the door shut tight that he finally stopped panicking. 

Later it would dawn on him that his lack of a response to Nagito’s question would actually cause more harm than anything he could have said. Hajime would go to the supermarket and eat snacks instead of going to the dining hall to face everyone else. The second hand embarrassment would follow him as he fibbed to Chiaki that everything had gone smoothly. Monokuma’s nightly announcement would buzz in the background as he sunk into bed. In the end, he wasn’t able to get that strange guy out of his mind.


End file.
